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Brief Synopsis

After her brothers Mario, Pepe and Emilio have gone out and her grandmother, Doña Barbarita, has gone to bed, the young widow, Rosario Castellanos sits down to read a book by her favorite author, Luis Felipe de Córdoba. Outside a storm begins to blow, and a man's hat sails into her open window. Thinking that no one is at home, the owner of the hat climbs through the window to retrieve it and startles Rosario. He puts her at ease and introduces himself as Prudencio González, and they discuss the book she is reading. Although Felipe de Córdoba is Prudencio's pseudonym, he does not tell this to Rosario, but says only that he is a friend of Felipe and that Felipe is looking for a secretary. When Rosario's eyes light up, he agrees to arrange a meeting between the two the following morning. They hear the brothers arriving home, and in his haste to leave, Felipe forgets his hat. When the brothers press Rosario for an explanation, she faints. The next morning, when Felipe arrives at his office to meet with Rosario, she asks the secretary, Guillermo, to kick him out because of the position into which she was forced due to his forgetfulness. As a confused Guillermo looks on, Felipe explains the use of his pseudonym, and then to Rosario's further astonishment, he hires her as his secretary. Her first assignment, Felipe tells her, is to have lunch with him. The first restaurant they choose has to be abandoned when two of her brothers arrive, and the second one is rejected when Felipe spies his lover, Estrella Polar, an American dancer. They decide to return to his office to eat and begin work on his new novel. As they work, Estrella bursts in and reminds him that they have plans for the evening. When she leaves, Rosario, in a fit of jealousy, walks out as well. At her house, as the brothers prepare to attend a costume party where Estrella will be, Rosario chides them for desiring her, but when they leave, she sneaks out and goes to the costume shop where she sees an outfit to wear. Having no money of her own, she exchanges her diamond ring as a deposit for use of the costume, which was made specially for Estrella. At the ball, Rosario catches the eye of Felipe, who does not recognize her. They dance and the judges award her the prize for best costume, as Estrella expresses her outrage. The next morning, as her frantic family searches for her, Rosario wakes up in Felipe's bed. Felipe, sleeping on the den couch, awakens to explain that he did not wish her family to see her in her condition, so he brought her to his home. Estrella arrives and as she and Felipe argue, Rosario slips out to return to her home. In her anger, Estrella tears the beautiful costume to pieces. When Pepe hears a voice on the phone, Mario investigates. He finds Rosario, who tells them she was kidnapped. As she relates her story, a delivery boy brings her costume award. The owner of the costume store, who is furious about the condition of his costume, follows, and as Rosario tries to explain, Felipe's hat sails into the room. He is brought in by the police, who noticed him lurking about, and Rosario claims that he is her kidnapper. Felipe confirms her claim, and she joins them to lodge a complaint at the police station. As they ride in the police car, the officer sees that Rosario's only intention is to win Felipe's affection. He lets the couple out, and they immediately hail a cab. In the cab, Felipe asks Rosario to let him love her for the rest of his life. She answers by throwing his hat out the window, and they snuggle in the corner of the taxi.